Manatee Commission OKs continued phosphate mining on Four Corners Mine

MANATEE -- Mosaic Fertilizer LLC will continue its phosphate mining operation on the Four Corners Mine in Duette.

During Thursday's land use meeting, the Manatee County Commission unanimously approved a five-year operating permit for the Four Corners Mine, which now includes the approximately 272-acre G&D Farms tract. In August, the board approved a rezone request to extraction to allow phosphate mining and a master plan allowing resources to be mined at the site.

Of the parcel formerly owned by Wish Farms subsidiary G&D Farms, 256 acres will be mined, increasing the total being mined to 11,908 acres. Mining has been ongoing at the mine for more than 30 years, according to agenda materials.

"We will continue the same mining practices that we have in Four Corners Mine onto

this property," said Bart Arrington, Mosaic mine permitting manager.

With the approved operating permit, Arrington said: "All we need to do is either sign or sign an amended copy of our Corps of Engineers permits and that's what we need to start mining."

The operating permit calls for 2,379 acres to be mined/disturbed in five years, according to the presentation.

In 2016, the south area of the G&D tract will be mined with north area mining in 2017. No reclamation is planned for the Jameson tract in this operating permit.

"They will be mining it and reclaiming it within five years," said Alissa Powers of the county Parks and Natural Resources Department of the G&D tract.

Commission approval came after three members of the public spoke against the request.

"Mining is destructive in itself so why let them do further harm at our expense?" said Barbara Angelucci, a Manatee County resident. "Mosaic needs to leave our water sources alone. They don't need to drop levels in the Manatee River."

Arrington said in the cumulative impact analysis done as part of the master mining plan found there will be no effect on river levels.

"There is no drawdown in the Manatee River as a result of our actions," he said.

Mosaic is projected to end mining Dec. 31, 2021, at the site with reclamation continuing until 2032, which wasn't changed when the new tract was added, according to Powers.

The commission also approved an increased reclamation bond amount for the Four Corners Mine in the amount of $24.1 million.

The commission also:

Approved a large scale map amendment from mixed use to residential-16 dwelling units per gross acre for a 324-unit resort apartment complex called The Oasis at University. It would be built on the north side of University Parkway. A rezone and preliminary site plan for the project still needs commission approval.

Voted to continue a hearing on a preliminary site plan for 24 lots for single family attached residences in Palma Sola until the Feb. 4 land use meeting after hearing concerns from residents about the proposed Rinascita Phase II project.

Asked the county attorney's office to draft a resolution to move public comment to the end of the commission agenda. Mickey Palmer, county attorney, said he would bring the resolution before the commission on Jan. 26.

Claire Aronson, Manatee County reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024. Follow her on Twitter @Claire_Aronson.

This story was originally published January 7, 2016 at 11:56 PM with the headline "Manatee Commission OKs continued phosphate mining on Four Corners Mine ."